A TEAM consisting of Auki Police officers, the Red Cross and Disaster officers in Malaita has now been alerted following reports of a landslide that destroyed four houses with three people still missing in South Malaita.

The incident was said to have happened between 12am and 3am early on Thursday at Unimenu area in South Malaita.

The 3 missing include two young girls and a boy.

Malaita Provincial Police Commander (PPC) Malaita Province, Superintendent Solomon Sisimia confirmed that his office has received information concerning a landslide disaster at Unimenu in south Malaita.

He said according to an unconfirmed report received, three people were missing and four houses were badly damaged by the landslide.

Sisimia said the team is expected to reach the area by today to carry out assessment and reports.

However he said that his office will continue to try their best to contact Maka police post for the update information of the incident.

He said since yesterday, communication network from Maka is unstable and police is yet to collect an updated information on the issue.

“At this stage my police officers together with Red Cross and Disaster officer are expected to reach the affected area once weather is fine.”

“My office is yet to receive clear information from Maka Police station because of communication breakdown,” Mr Sisimia said.

He said the current bad weather condition in Malaita is now affecting the police and disaster team’s operation plan to immediately reach the affected area.

“An attempt to call for chopper service was unsuccessful due to the current bad weather condition which will be impossible for a chopper to be engaged.”

However he wishes to advice communities that reside along rivers and at the bottom of hills to take precautionary measures during the rainy and strong wind season.

MALAITA Premier Daniel Suidani has declared his Executive and people’s support for the development package proposed by the United States ambassador Catherine Ebert-Grey during her meeting with the Malaitan MPs earlier this week.

The premier said Malaita has been a province that has been neglected by succeeding governments for too long and its people have had to travel everywhere in search of employment.

“If you go to the villages, only children and the disabled people are there, most of our people have gone to other places to look for jobs.

“Right now, we need development on Malaita and the US has that offer on the table,” the Premier stated.

It is anticipated that the US will develop multi-million dollar projects on the Malaita.

Describing the deal, the Premier said:

“this package is enough for our projects and Malaitan leaders must work together to make this happen.”

It is understood that the US offered to assist develop the Bina Harbour Industrial Sea Port, a road network connecting the North-South and Eastern regions and other productive sectors.

The Premier warned that “the Government and Malaitan MPs would be totally negligent if they failed to handle this matter properly and let this opportunity slip.

“People on Malaita will hold the current leaders accountable for this matter for many years to come.”

This announcement also happens amid the government’s attempts to sever diplomatic ties from Taiwan to the PRC.

Compared to PRC which offers concessional loans, the package offered by the US will largely be grants.

Commenting on the grant arrangement, the Premier stated “what is even more important is that this assistance is purely in the form of grants which gives the province a head start with development.

“It is clear PRC is offering a lot of promises, but there is nothing in writing from Beijing. We cannot wait for something that has not materialised on paper,” Premier Suidani stated.

The Premier stated that, Malaita will not be responsible for paying any debts incurred by the Solomon Islands Government if they choose to go with PRC and incur debts.

“That will be a problem the Government will have to bear, not the people of Malaita.”

It is also understood the National Transport Core is a package offered for the entire country. The Premier said, “the packaged offered by the US and others is for the entire country and not just Malaita Province.

“There is something in it for everyone so the Government must consider this in view of the nation’s best interest”

There is no other good time to decide the China/Taiwan than now says political commentators and former Special Secretary to the Prime Minister Andrew Muaki.

"The timing is right for Solomon Islands to put this issue before the table to decide it once and for all,” said Muaki in an exclusive interview with Solomon Star on Thursday.

He told this paper that next year there will be domestic election in Taiwan.

“And indications are that the current government in Taipei may lose to the Opposition if the Opposition wins there is likely to be a truce between Beijing and Taipei about not poaching it's others ally.

“Solomon Islands will then become irrelevant to the Beijing and other countries such as Australia and then we lose our leverage,” Muaki explained.

Muaki revealed that he and former Prime Minister Danny Philip casually explored the possibility of putting up this issue for a review way back in 2011 but quickly ruled it out because the timing was not favourable to Solomon Islands.

"I sort of brought the issue up with my boss casually at that time but he was quick to pour cold water on the idea because there was a truce between Beijing and Taipei. We also figured out that there was no appetite for such a move amongst MPs," Muaki told the paper.

In a response to this matter Philip told this paper yesterday that he knew from the very beginning somehow, somewhere this diplomatic relationship somehow change.

“I am no longer in the government now and cannot influence DCGA on any policy change on the current subject.

“But I can only hope our government will lead us through safely during this time of confusion,” Philip told this paper in an exclusive interview.

Muaki also added that he doubts any promise by the western donors such as the United States (US) would materialise.

He made this statement in the light of what US Ambassador have just discussed with Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and his top officials in Honiara few days ago.

This paper understood that US Ambassador told Sogavare that they will look for ways that they can assist Solomon Islands in terms of grants to help the country with this its development aspirations.

"Let us be clear that the US expects Canberra and Wellington to be more upfront with us on the China/Taiwan issue.

“Unfortunately, Canberra and Wellington are more concerned about preserving their trade relationships with China than upsetting it,” he pointed out.

He further stressed that should Solomon Islands decides to recognise PRC in line with UN Resolutions the expectation is that the traditional donor partners and friends to remain engage with Solomon Islands.

"My expectation is that we shall see a high degree of engagement with our traditional friends and donors.

“Our friends know that leaving us out in the cold because they disagree with us is as a matter of fact not in their own regional interest.

“The case of Fiji comes into mind,” Muaki stressed.

He further argued that in the end Solomon Islands decision to recognize China would be in the overall best interest of Solomon Islands.

The Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (OPMC) yesterday clarified the background and context of the comment by Prime Minister labeling Taiwan as ‘useless’ that appeared in our front page publication on Thursday.

A statement from the OPMC said the interview was initially derived from a podcast from The Red Podcast site.

The confidential interview was supposed to be for research purposes.

It also confirmed that in July Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare shared with Dr Graeme Smith, a staff of the Australian National University (ANU) the imbalance between the amount of development assistance provided to Solomon Islands by Taiwan since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries as compared to the dollar value of tuna caught by Taiwan in Solomon Islands waters over the same period.

According to the statement, Mr Sogavare contended that while Taiwan had given Solomon Islands hundreds of millions of US dollars during this period, Taiwan had harvested billions of dollars-worth of tuna from Solomon Island waters during the same period.

Mr Sogavare reflected that in this regard, Solomon Islands is a net lender to Taiwan.

It is in this context, that the Prime Minister’s comment were couched, the statement from the Prime Minister and Cabinet said.

“When one compares what Taiwan gets from Solomon Islands’ tuna fishery compared to what Taiwan gives to us in development assistance there is a huge imbalance in favour of Taiwan,” the statement said.

The statement said the Prime Minister’s comments were made in a private conversation that was requested through Dr Tarcisus Tara from the University of Hawaii on behalf of Dr Graeme from the Australian National University (ANU) for research purposes on the Solomon Islands/China/Taiwan issue.

“Now it appears that some ulterior motives have been exposed in support of a separate agenda,” the statement added.

The statement further highlighted that the interview being a confidential discussion between Dr Graeme and the prime minister, it was therefore within this context that Dr Graeme has misrepresented his real intentions by conducting his interview under the pretext of confidentiality.

Under the framework ‘Friend to all, enemy to none’ the Democratic Coalition Government for Advancement (DCGA) had embarked on a transparent review of its foreign policy as part of its 100-days policy priorities with a decision to be made on the best way forward based on findings of the assessment, the statement expressed.

“Hence, in its effort to substantiate facts, the solidarity of the DCGA remains steadfast as the government is ready to deliberate on findings from investigations of the Cabinet appointed Bipartisan Taskforce in support of an informed decision that will be made to serve the best interests of the country and the people.

“Media headlines about leaked documents that will eventually be made public, misrepresent the findings of the reports and assessments which the DCGA has been diligently preparing by leaving no stone unturned to ensure the future best interests of Solomon Islands remain an overarching priority.

“The approach taken by the DCGA is the first of its kind for any nation to publicly announce a review and carry out both a comprehensive and transparent assessment of the risks and benefits such a foreign policy shift could have on the domestic economy and future well-being of the country.

“The government is mindful that for such decisions, timing is critical to the success or failure of what can be leveraged to maximise benefits while also safeguarding our national best interests,” the statement from the Prime Minister’s Office highlighted.

It further added Caucus and Cabinet will soon deliberate on the whether to maintain the current diplomatic relationship with Taiwan or switch Bilateral recognition to Mainland China and a collective decision will be made which reflects the DCGA policy “that harnesses maximum benefit from our diplomatic relations premised on an open engagement policy of being a friend to all and enemy to none.”

“Until a decision is made, Taiwan is still a diplomatic partner of Solomon Islands.

“The DCGA is committed to the delivery of ongoing and prospective policy priorities in the interests of peace, national stability and economic advancement,,” the statement reads.

IT is truly unfortunate to hear and read of the expressed sentiments by Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare describing the relations between Solomon Islands and Taiwan as ‘useless’.

That’s according to the Foreign Relations Committee (FRC) Chairman and Member of Parliament for East Are’are Peter Kenilorea Jnr.

“It is an unfortunate choice of words to describe a partner that many in Solomon Islands have viewed as a ‘true friend’ for over the last 36 years,” he told this paper via email yesterday.

Kenilorea stressed that for a leader of our nation to use such words and describe a friend is un-statesman like.

He added that all our development partners - our friends - have been working together with Solomon Islands government and people to help move this nation forward and should thank them and their people for their continued support.

“But we should also be mindful that the development of this nation rests in our own hands - not our development partners.

“The destiny of this nation in our march towards the future we want for us and future generations rests squarely on our collective shoulders,” Mr Kenilorea said.

This paper understands that the statement made by Sogavare was published by an Australian media the little Red Podcast.

This paper contacted the Prime Minister’s Press Secretary for an exclusive interview with Sogavare but was told they will be making an official statement later.

The statement by Sogavare went viral in the social media causing confusion and debates as to why he make this sort of strong comments towards one of the country’s development partner.

This paper understands that Sogavare’s statement might have different meaning to what the public and some political critics might be thinking.

Bilikiki coach Gideon Omokirio hopes Solomon Islands will compete against the World’s best at the World Beach Games in Qatar next month.

Omokirio uttered this on Wednesday after naming his final 12-men traveling.

The former Solomon Islands international named four new players in the team alongside eight core players from the recent OFC Beach Soccer Nations Cup.

“As a coach, I have high hopes we will compete with the best beach soccer teams at the World Beach Games,” he said.

“Our strength is the speed with the ball which was evident during the Oceania championship. The boys are responding positively to our style of play and I believe we are capable of making the country proud in Qatar.”

The Bilikiki tactician added latest additions to the team is based on overall team assessment during the qualifiers in Tahiti.

“We identified some during the tournament in Tahiti that we need to replace because of the strategy we want to implement.

“The four changes is done basically to help us strengthen our weaknesses since the level at the Beach Games is top class,” Gideon added.

Meanwhile, the team continues its training at the DC Park in east Honiara.

Solomon Islands Bilikiki will be leaving on October 7 ahead of their opening match against Italy on October 12 at the Beach Soccer Arena in Katara Beach.

SOLOMON Islands’ advantage to capitalise its strategic 21st century is yet to be fully appreciated and capitalised such as opportunities to be a central hub in aviation trade and shipping.

Chairman of the Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce (SICCI) Jay Bartlett uttered the statement when delivering his opening remarks of the two-day Australia-Solomon Islands Business Forum which started yesterday.

Mr Bartlett said the point needs to be illustrated as it very relatively easy to visit Solomon Islands and see the potholes and a lot of annoying mini buses and lack of facilities.

“But I believe this negative perception for such is of secure people’s perception of the deep underlying vision that we have for our country to be markedly better against this unfortunates.

“Solomon Islands is a new frontier relatively untapped and great success awaits those who have a time the same outlook as us,” he said.

He said economic activity arose for Solomon Islands today is largely positive, however economic growth has revised down to 2.5% in 2018 and may be further revised lower depending on large quarter performance.

“The national debt by international standard remains low and we are actually one of the lowest in the pacific as a grade based point.

“We also enjoy safe and secure environment with blessed and abundant natural resources. However, our taxable economic based remains sustainably narrow with the main current contributor being the primary industry,” he added.

Bartlett said Solomon Islands is yet to be successful in diversifying its economy which remain vulnerable to external shops and the global markets.

“Risk of uncontrollable in fluctuation and commodity price does leave us in precarious position.

“This is a situation we are now experiencing, the cooling of commodity prices in the time of global uncertainty,” he added.

The SICCI chair said the space of the economic growth cannot unfortunately cater and will not efficiently provide to require services for its population.

“Stronger economic growth is now not ambition but an absolute necessary.

“This situation we found ourselves in is not an usual for small states with emerging economy such as ours, especially one that is geographically dispersed, socially diverse with an extremely fast growing population,” he said.

Bartlett said the current challenge today is to broaden the tax and economic base by focusing on policy on the key sectors and the country must boost its productivity through infrastructure and education investments.

MOST schools in Malaita Province do not have conducive classrooms that will trigger students to learn to read and write effectively.

That’s according to the Malaita Provincial Literacy Trainer Jeremy Igita.

Igita shared light on this in an exclusive interview with the Solomon Star Auki.

“It’s a sad reality that should be addressed to ensure students have access to effective learning materials that will boost their learning ability at the early stage in school,” Igita stated..

He said this lack of conducive classrooms came about because most schools used their grants to either build classrooms or other areas and totally forgot about purchasing learning materials to pin up in each class to help teachers and students in their learning process.

Igita said school principals and head teachers who have access to school grants should put more priority on purchasing useful learning materials, adding a portion of the school grant is purposely to purchase school learning materials.

"I have visited some of the schools in the province and it is sad to see their classrooms are not conducive for effective learning.

"From observation one can tell that this is the reason why students are lagging behind when it comes to literacy."

Ask about what a conducive classroom should look like, he said a classic example of a conducive classroom and school is the Sinasu Primary School in the Aoke Langa Langa electorate.

He said other schools in Malaita Province should learn from Sinasu Primary School.

“Sinasu is a model school and a perfect example of a school with conducive classrooms that encourage effective learning.”